Brandenburg’s Minister-President Dietmar Woidke has acknowledged shortcomings in the approach taken towards the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
In remarks to the “Handelsblatt” business newspaper, Woidke stated that his party and others initially treated the AfD as they had previously handled smaller, far-right splinter groups, a tactic he now concedes was a mistake. He characterized the AfD as fundamentally different – more strategic, professional in its organization and adept at tapping into societal anxieties. He also expressed concern that substantive engagement with the AfD’s positions had been “neglected” in recent years, admitting “mistakes were made – also on our part in Brandenburg.
Despite this assessment, Woidke affirmed his support for a potential ban on the AfD, while simultaneously cautioning about the associated risks. “If there is a suspicion that a party aims to abolish the free democratic basic order, there is actually a duty to act” he explained. “But it’s also clear that this will be a thorny path – politically as well as legally.
Woidke drew on his own experience with the legal proceedings against the National Democratic Party (NPD) to underscore the complexities involved. “I was Interior Minister when the NPD ban proceedings began and Minister-President when they ended in Karlsruhe” he recalled. “So I know how lengthy and demanding such a process is”. He indicated that the establishment of a working group to examine evidence and prepare materials is a prudent step in anticipation of potential legal action.